Houston Texans GM: 'C.J. Stroud isn't going anywhere' despite having down season

[p][b]"He's our quarterback. He isn't going anywhere. We ‌have a lot of confidence, a lot of belief,"[/b] Caserio said. [b]"I'm glad he's our quarterback."[/b][/p][p]The 24-year-old finished last season with 3,041 passing yards and 19 passing touchdowns - both career lows since the team drafted him with the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.[/p][embed guid="646d435d-63de-445b-8d72-270125ebe971" url="https://x.com/RapSheet/status/2026443780497281334?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]During the playoffs this past season, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stroud-c-j/Gl0XA5gK/"]Stroud[/a] was brutally terrible for a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-texans/SIj9q2Q7/"]Texans[/a] team who what some might consider the best defence of the current decade on the other side of the ball. [/p][p]He threw just two touchdowns in comparison to five interceptions with a 51.9% completion percentage, barely completing more than half his passes. For context, the previous two years in the playoffs, Stroud had a 64.8% (2023) and 67.2% (2024). [/p][p]Houston lost 28-16 to the New [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-england-patriots/G6oNfmi8/"]England Patriots[/a] in the AFC Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs after Stroud threw four interceptions - one of them being a pick-six. [/p][p]Stroud burst onto the scene his first season, winning the Rookie of the Year Award after posting 4,108 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns with just five interceptions. Now, the Texans quarterback will look to get back to his rookie ways and explosiveness in the coming season. [/p][p]The 2026 season will mark the final one of his rookie contract, unless the Texans pick up the 2027 club option, which will pay Stroud just above $24.2 million for the season. [/p]